Microbiological culture for triggering microbiological processes in water

ABSTRACT

A microbiological culture for triggering microbiological processes in bodies of water, soils, sediments, and/or muds contains chemo-lithoautotrophic bacteria that are immobilized. The bacteria are immobilized in a matrix having the form of capsules, gels, or gel spheres. The matrix material is selected from a wide range of natural and synthetic polymers.

[0001] The present invention relates to a microbiological culture fortriggering microbiological processes in bodies of water, soils,sediments and/or muds by using living chemo-lithoautotrophic bacteria;the use of this culture for removing harmful substances, such asnitrogen compounds and/or phosphate, from bodies of water and/or fromthe air; a method for cleaning and/or treating water and/or soils byusing the microbiological cultures; as well as a kid-of-parts,comprising immobilized microorganisms as well as a container forreceiving and for metered dispensing of the microorganisms underlife-supporting conditions.

[0002] Standing and flowing natural bodies of water have in general acertain self-cleaning power, i.e., contaminations can be decomposed to alimited extent. This self-cleaning power, however, is often insufficientin the case of greatly contaminated bodies of water. Microorganisms,which, in particular, can convert harmful nitrogen compounds intoinnocuous compounds such as elementary nitrogen, are often added tothese bodies of water for enhancing the (self)-cleaning action.

[0003] The added microorganisms serve for triggering and enhancing, ortaking over, the already present self-cleaning power in natural bodiesof water and aquatic systems.

[0004] The microorganisms can be used in the form of cell suspensionsand in this form, optionally in an aqueous solvent, can be introducedinto the bodies of water. Also, the use of microorganisms in powder formis possible. In these preparations, the microorganisms are initiallytransformed into so-called permanent forms, such as spores, or they arelyophilized. As a result of the current within the body of water andbecause of diffusion, the microorganisms do not stay put but reach alsoother regions of the body of water. In these regions, the livingconditions for the microorganisms can be unfavorable so that removal ofcontamination does not occur. Moreover, a fixation of the microorganismsin specially loaded water regions of the bodies of water is notpossible.

[0005] In the field of aquarium technology, problems occur already forminimal amounts of soluble nitrogen compounds, because, for example,ammonia is toxic for fishes already in concentrations of 0.01 mg/l. Inparticular, in aquariums, which are artificial systems, theself-cleaning process is particularly susceptible to failure already forminimal amounts of foreign substances, such as nitrogen compounds or thelike, contained therein.

[0006] In particular, when in the bodies of water to be treated hardlyany active microorganisms are present, active microorganisms must beadded in sufficiently high active concentrations in order to activatethe self-cleaning powers of the bodies of water. For the operators ofgarden ponds and small bodies of water, microorganisms used forimproving the water quality are obtainable in general in the form ofso-called permanent forms or in lyophilized form. For larger bodies ofwater, the use of cell suspensions is preferable. It is also known touse microorganisms in encapsulated form.

[0007] The cell suspensions known in the prior art and also themicrocapsules containing microorganisms usually do not employchemo-autotrophic microorganisms in defined communities of species.Also, they have the disadvantage that the preparations can be storedonly for a very short period of time, and the microorganisms will dieoff already after one or two days. Such formulations are thus notsuitable for commerce.

[0008] When microorganisms are to be used for inoculation of bodies ofwater in order to activate their self-cleaning powers, the employedmicroorganisms must be present in very high concentration.

[0009] For the stabilization of the nitrogen cycle, the microbiologicalprocesses, such as nitrogen fixation, nitrogen assimilation, anddenitrification generally present no problem; the degradation efficiencyof nitrification processes and also the mineralization of organicnitrogen compounds are often insufficient.

[0010] In many microbiological processes it is a disadvantage that theduration of activity of the microorganisms is only a few days and thenthey die off. Moreover, many microorganisms do not form spores and canthus not be transformed into a permanent form, for example, they can belyophilized only with loss of their activity. These microorganisms mustbe used in the vegetative form which means, in turn, that they must bestored under life-supporting conditions.

[0011] The present invention has the object to provide microbiologicalstartup cultures which can be stored for a certain amount of time andwhich are suitable for triggering microbiological processes in anaquatic system and thus initiate the self-cleaning power of the system.A further object of the invention is to provide a method employingmicroorganisms which makes it possible to clean standing and/or flowingbodies of water at a fixed and predetermined location, i.e., todecompose the harmful substances by employing microorganisms.

[0012] The subject matter of the present invention is accordingly amicrobiological culture for triggering microbiological processes inbodies of water, soils, sediments, and/or muds by using livingchemo-lithoautotrophic bacteria characterized in that the bacteria areimmobilized.

[0013] The term immobilized means in the context of the presentinvention that the bacteria, in the following referred to also asmicroorganisms, are not used in the form of cell suspensions or cellsolutions as such but are surrounded by a matrix material and/or areapplied onto it, wherein life-supporting conditions are observed. Theimmobilized bacteria are referred to in the following also asimmobilisates.

[0014] Surprisingly, it was found that the bacteria cultures accordingto the invention in the immobilized form are well suited for triggeringmicrobiological processes in bodies of water and in soils, and thecleaning processes in these systems can be significantly accelerated inthis way. Moisture or water contained in the system to be cleaned comesinto contact with the microorganisms, and contact between the harmfulsubstances and the microorganisms also takes places in this way withdecomposition of these substances. The starter culture according to theinvention is suitable in particular for decomposition of organic andinorganic nitrogen compounds.

[0015] A further advantage of immobilization of the microorganismsresides in that they can be supplied with fresh medium, with nutrientsand oxygen while being stored and can thus be protected against loss ofactivity. Moreover, it is possible to store the microorganisms even overan extended period of time so they must not be used immediately aftertheir manufacture, as is the case in the systems known in the prior art.

[0016] The bodies of water and soils in which the bacteria culturesaccording to the invention can be used include all water-containing andmoisture-containing systems. Bodies of water in the context of thepresent invention are natural and artificial, standing and flowingbodies of water, such as ponds and lakes, water treatment plants,aquariums, water of water circulation systems of industrial facilitiesand domestic facilities, or the like. The soils include the earth as abase on land and in water as well as sediments and muds, wherein,depending on the water contents, the transition between bodies of waterand sediments is fluid.

[0017] The bacteria cultures according to the invention are suitable inparticular for improving the cleaning efficiency of aquatic systems,such as aquariums, ponds, lakes, and water treatment plants.

[0018] The microorganisms are preferably immobilized in a matrix whereincapsules, gels and/or gel spheres as a matrix form have been found to beparticularly suitable.

[0019] This type of immobilization has the advantage that moisture orwater contained in the system to be cleaned can penetrate, by way of thenet structure present within the capsule material or the gel material orby way of diffusion, into the immobilisate and can thus come intocontact with the microorganisms. Via the capsule wall or the gel,preferably permeable for water and/or microorganisms, the microorganismsare simultaneously also dispensed into the surroundings so that outsideof the capsules a contact between the harmful substances and themicroorganisms can take place with decomposition of these substances.

[0020] The preferably employed capsules or spheres have preferably adiameter of approximately 100 to approximately 10,000 μm, in particular,of 100 to 5,000 μm, wherein the microorganisms, in a solid or a liquidform, are enveloped by, penetrated by and/or applied onto a solid togel-like, in general polymeric, preferably porous polymer material.

[0021] By means of proper selection of the materials for thecapsules/spheres, for example, natural or synthetic polymers, thecapsules/spheres can be designed such that the bacteria and thesubstrate to be cleaned (water) can come into contact with one another.A possibly present capsule wall can be seal-tight, permeable, orsemipermeable. The material of the capsules/spheres can also be of amulti-layer structure, i.e., one or several materials can be used.Accordingly, there is a plethora of possibilities for releasing theimmobilized substance in a controlled fashion, for example, bydestruction of the envelope or by permeation or also by chemicalreactions which occur in the interior of the microcapsules.

[0022] In a preferred configuration of the present invention, thecapsule wall is permeable for water and substances dissolved therein. Inthis embodiment, the contact of the harmful substances with themicroorganisms is realized such that the water penetrates through thesurface into the spheres and the cleaning processes take place in theinterior. By means of the cleaning process, the microorganisms multiplyuntil the holding capacity of the capsules/spheres or the gel has beenreached and the wall bursts, i.e., the microorganisms are released.

[0023] For producing the immobilized microorganisms, natural orsynthetic polymers can be used as the matrix materials.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, gel-forming polymers and/or suchpolymers which are suitable for manufacturing the preferred forms suchas capsules, spheres and/or gels are used. This has the advantage thatbacteria can be received or embedded within the gel structure.Preferably, the materials should have such a strength and wearresistance that the immobilized microorganisms can be stored in thisform under so-called life-supporting conditions, i.e., with addition ofsubstrate and oxygen.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment such materials are used which dissolveor decompose slowly, preferably at a defined rate, in water so thatslowly a release of microorganisms over a defined period of time takesplace.

[0026] Moreover, polymers are preferred which optionally can also serveas a carbon source for the employed microorganisms. In this embodiment,the matrix is decomposed and degraded by the microorganisms. As soon asthe structure has sufficiently large pores, a release of themicroorganisms occurs.

[0027] Examples for suitable polymers are polymeric polysaccharides suchas agar-agar or cellulose, proteins such as gelatin, gum arabic, albuminor fibrinogen, ethyl cellulose, methylcellulose, carboxy methyl ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, alkali cellulose sulfate, polyanilline,polypyrrole, polyvinyl pyrolidone, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride,polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers ofpolystyrene and maleic acid anhydride, epoxy resins, polyethyleneimines, copolymers of styrene and methyl methacrylate, polystyrenesulfonate, polyacrylate and poly methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyester,silicones, methylcellulose, mixtures of gelatin and water glass, gelatinand polyphosphate, cellulose acetate and phthalate, gelatin andcopolymers of maleic acid anhydride and methyl vinyl ether, celluloseacetate butyrate, chitosan, poly dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides,mixtures of poly acrylic acids and poly diallyl dimethyl ammoniumchlorides, as well as any suitable mixtures of the above.

[0028] The polymer material can optionally be crosslinked. Conventionalcross-linking agents are glutaraldehyde, urea/formaldehyde resins,tannin compounds such as tannic acid, alkali earth ions such as Ca²⁺ions which can be added, for example, in the form of chlorides, andtheir mixtures.

[0029] In a specially preferred embodiment, the alginates and alginatederivatives are used as matrix material. The alginates have theadvantage that they have no negative effect on the activity ofmicroorganisms and, moreover, they can be slowly decomposed bymicroorganisms over a certain period of time, such as a week up toseveral months. The slow decomposition of the matrix releases graduallythe enclosed microorganisms in increasing quantities. From thebiological decomposition of the wall material there results the furtheradvantage that no residual materials or waste products remain in thebody of water. When the immobilized bacteria cultures are placed, forexample, in a corresponding container or a device for receiving andstoring them, for example, a filter, into the medium to be treated, thefilter can be refilled with the microorganisms according to theinvention after dissolution of the employed immobilized microorganisms.

[0030] When the matrix material is present in the form of a capsule orsphere, the wall in a further preferred embodiment has a multi-layerconfiguration wherein gel-forming polymers and non-gel-forming polymers,preferably film-forming polymers, can be combined for the outer wall. Ina preferred embodiment, alginates or alginate derivatives are selectedas the gel-forming materials, and polymers are selected from cellulosederivatives, in particular, sodium cellulose sulfate, poly dialkyldimethyl ammonium chlorides and/or polyethylene imines, as the further,preferably film-forming, materials. The polymer materials which are usedin addition to the alginates or alginate derivatives form preferably theouter capsule wall. It was found that by employing an outer capsulematerial, selected from the aforementioned polymers, the wear resistanceof the microcapsules and thus the shelf life was significantly improved.

[0031] In an especially preferred embodiment, purified alginates, inparticular those alginates described under the CAS numbers 9005-38-3 and9005-32-7, are used as gel-forming materials. The purified alginateshave the advantage that they contain only a minimal amount of freeorganic substances which could possibly impair the stability andactivity of the microorganisms. The employed alginates have preferably ahigh contents of L-guluron acid units.

[0032] In a further preferred embodiment, phyllosilicates ortectosilicates, preferably zeolites, are added to the alginate. Thesilicates stabilize with their mesh structures the gel material and slowthe decomposition process of the alginate while, at the same time, theyabsorb ammonia and calcium on the mineral components of the spherematrix.

[0033] The employed zeolites are comprised of more than 70% ofclinoptilotith with inert by-minerals such as quartz. The particles sizeof the mineral admixtures is smaller than 600 μm. The added amount is0.5 to 50% by weight of the employed dry substance of alginate.Preferably, 5-30% by weight of minerals, especially preferred weight(zeolite)=15-30% relative to 70-85% alginate, are used.

[0034] The microorganisms can be any suitable microorganisms fortreating water, including marine type microorganisms, algaes and fungi.Preferably, the microorganisms are selectfrom chemo-lithoautotrophicnitrification microorganisms, such as ammonia oxidizing microorganismsand nitrite oxidizing microorganisms, which can be selected from thenitrification microorganisms, in particular, bacteria of the genusNitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosovibrio, andNitrosospira, in particular, the species Nitrosomonas halophilia,Nitrosomonas eutropha, and Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrosomonasoligotropha, Nitrosomonas ureae, Nitrosomonas aestuarii, Nitrosomonasmarina, Nitrosomonas, sp. 3 Nm 51, Nitrosomonas communis, Nitrosomonasnitrosa, Nitrosomonas sp. 1 Nm 33, Nitrosomonas sp. 2 Nm 41,Nitrosomonas cryotolerans, as well as nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of thegenus Nitrobacter and Nitrospira, in particular, Nitrobacterwinogradskyi.

[0035] Suitable are also heterotrophic nitrification organisms such asfungi of the genus Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cephalosporium, algaes,Arthrobactersp., Alcaligenes faecilis, Nocordia sp. as well asheterotrophic denitrification microorganisms such as Paracoccus sp., inparticular, Paracoccuspantothrophas and Pseudomonas sp. It is alsopossible to employ any suitable combination, i.e., mixed cultures, ofthe microorganisms. The use of mixed cultures can provide a synergisticeffect with respect to the activity and decomposition efficiency.Examples of mixed cultures are, for example, combinations of the speciesNitrosomonas and Nitrobacteras well as optionally heterotrophicmicroorganisms.

[0036] In an especially preferred embodiment, species communities ofdifferent bacteria are used for cleaning and treating bodies of water,soils, etc., for example, for the decomposition of organic and inorganicnitrogen compounds. The employed species can first be cultured accordingto their special culturing conditions in a pure culture and subsequentlycan be immobilized. Culturing of bacteria in a pure culture makes itpossible to provide a combination of basically any suitable speciescommunity in almost any suitable species ratio. An example for anespecially preferred species community in the immobilisate is comprisedof a) ammonia oxidizing (for example, Nitrosomonas) and b)nitrite-oxidizing (for example, Nitrobacter) and optionally c)nitrate-reducing and nitrite-reducing bacteria (for example,Paracoccus). It was found to be beneficial when the species ratio of thecell numbers in the immobilisate is preferably in the range of a:b of1:10,000 to 1:1 and, particularly preferred, of 1:10,000 to 1:10 andwhen the species ratio of the b:c is preferably between 1,000:1 to 1:1,and especially preferred between 100:1 to 5:1.

[0037] Depending on the type of application, a person skilled in theart, based on his knowledge of the field, and optionally afterperforming tests or by using computer simulations, can determine thecorresponding species and their ratios relative to one another.

[0038] In order to be able to microbiologically start a system in ashort period of time, it was found to be expedient when the starterculture is added in a sufficiently high concentration.

[0039] For producing the immobilized bacteria according to theinvention, conventionally cell suspensions are first cultured in aconcentration of 1×10⁶ to 5×10⁹ cells per ml in a pure culture. In orderto obtain microorganisms in a concentration as high as possible withinthe microcapsule, the obtained cell suspensions are subsequentlyconcentrated preferably to 5×10⁸ to 6×10⁹ cells per ml. Theconcentration can be realized by conventional filtration methods knownin the art.

[0040] Particularly when nitrifying microorganisms are immobilized, itwas found to be especially expedient to use the microorganisms in theform of aqueous cell suspensions. In a preferred embodiment, stabilizedmicroorganisms are used, in particular, such microorganisms according tothe culturing process and stabilization in accordance with German patentapplication 199 08 109.3-41 with addition of NO and/or NO₂.

[0041] A particularly excellent stabilization of the microorganisms canbe achieved when they are used as a cell suspension which contains abuffer system. Examples of suitable buffers are acetic acid/acetate,HCO₃ ⁻/CO₃ ²⁻, phosphoric acid/H₂PO₃ ⁻/HPO₃ ²⁻, citric acid/citrate,lactic acid/lactate, solid CaCO₃.

[0042] In order to reach an activity optimum of the microorganisms, thepH value in the gel capsules is preferably between 4 and 9, particularlypreferred between 5 and 8 and, in particular, between 6.5 and 8.5. Ifadjustable under the application conditions, the starting culturesaccording to the invention are preferably carried out in a temperaturerange of a 8° C. to 35° C., in particular preferred in a range of 15° C.to 30° C., and more particularly between 20° C. and 30° C.

[0043] In another embodiment, the capsule core and/or the capsule wallcontains pigments, for example, inorganic or organic white, black orcolor pigments and/or UV radiation filters. By employing pigments, it ispossible, on the one hand, to impart to the capsules a pleasingappearance, and, on the other hand, the pigments can protect inparticular light-sensitive microorganisms against too strong light andsun radiation. A further protection for harmful light action is providedby UV radiation filters. The pigments and/or the UV radiation filterscan be immobilized, for example, together with the microorganisms andcan be present within the core or can also be embedded in the capsulewall. This embodiment also includes the situation that the componentsare contained in the capsule interior in the matrix as well as in thecapsule wall.

[0044] As pigments any suitable inorganic or organic pigments can beused which have no negative effect on the activity of themicroorganisms. Examples of inorganic pigments are: lime (CaCO₃),titanium dioxide, lead white, zinc white, lithopone, antimony white,carbon black, iron oxide black, manganese black, cobalt black, antimonyblack, lead chromate, lead oxide read, zinc yellow, zinc green, cadmiumred, cobalt blue, Prussian Blue, ultramarine blue, manganese purple,cadmium yellow, Schweinfurt green, molybdenum orange and molybdenum red,chromium orange and chromium red, chromium oxide green, strontium yellowetc. or naturally occurring pigments such as ocher, umber, green earth,terra-sienna, graphite, etc. Lime or CaCO₃ was found to be particularlysuitable because it provides an additional buffering function and canalso serve as a CO₂ source for the microorganisms.

[0045] The manufacture of the microcapsules can be realized in a knownway by encapsulation of cell suspensions or solutions.

[0046] When microcapsules are to be prepared with several differentmicroorganisms, the cell suspensions/solutions, as soon as the desiredcell concentration has been adjusted, are mixed in the desired quantityratios with one another and subsequently are immobilized as is known inthe art. Suitable methods for immobilization of microorganisms are themicro encapsulation methods known in the prior art.

[0047] Examples for possible manufacturing processes are phaseseparation methods, also called coacervation, mechanical-physicalmethods, boundary layer polymerization as well as adsorptive methods.

[0048] Phase separation means that a dissolved polymer is transformedinto a polymer-rich still solvent-containing phase by means of removalof solvent. The coacervation product deposits on the boundary layer ofthe material to be encapsulated with formation of a contiguous capsulewall and is solidified by drying or polymerization.

[0049] For enveloping solid core materials, mechanical-physical methodsare suitable in which the envelope is formed in a fluid bed or by spraydrying.

[0050] In the aforementioned boundary layer polymerization methods, thewall formation is realized by polycondensation or polyaddition ofmonomeric or oligomeric starting materials on the boundary layer of awater/oil emulsion.

[0051] In the case of adsorptive methods, layers of polyanionic andpolycationic polymers are applied and form a capsule wall in this waywhich is usually comprised of 2 to 20 layers.

[0052] The employed polymers are preferably used in the form of theirsolutions, suspensions or emulsions. For the micro encapsulation aqueoussolutions, suspensions, or emulsions of a concentration of 0.5 to 10% byweight were found to be suitable. As already mentioned above, one aspectof the invention is to immobilize vegetative microorganisms in such away that they can be stored under life-supporting conditions over anextended period of time. In order to maintain the viability of themicroorganisms, i.e., their activity, it is particularly preferred whenculturing, and optionally the concentration and also the subsequentimmobilization, are carried out under gentle conditions, in particular,under life-supporting conditions. In order to adjust the life-supportingconditions, it is preferred to supply the microorganisms duringprocessing with substrate and oxygen. In orderto obtain a functioningproduct as an end product which is usually supplied as such to thecustomer, it is particularly desirable when the aforementionedlife-supporting conditions are maintained continuously, or at leastalmost continuously, during the manufacturing process and are alsomaintained during retail until reaching the hands of the customer.

[0053] For producing microcapsules from alginate, preferably a 1 to 5%,in particular, 1.5 to 2.5%, alginate suspension is used. This alginatesuspension is mixed with the suspension of the microorganisms whichpreferably has a concentration as high as possible, and subsequentlysubjected to immobilization as is known in the art.

[0054] The manufactured immobilisates can be used without furtherprocessing steps such as drying. Drying of the obtained immobilisatesfor the purpose of storage is possible. They can be added as is known inthe art to the water to be cleaned and/or treated. Preferably, thecapsules are however introduced into a container which is installedfixedly within the water to be cleaned. It is also possible that theimmobilisates, solely based on their specific weight, are stationary ata fixed location, i.e., they are not carried away by the current.

[0055] In an especially preferred embodiment, the obtained immobilisatesare introduced into a filter and thus positionally secured by thesurrounding filter material.

[0056] When being used in a body of water to be cleaned, the water flowsthrough the filter unit and comes into contact with the immobilisate.Because of the preferably net-like structure of the matrix material, thematerial to be cleaned, including the harmful substances, penetratesinto the interior of the immobilisate. The reaction of the immobilizedmicroorganisms with the harmful substances cause the decomposition ofthe harmful substances. These substances which are harmful to the wateract at the same time as nutrients for the microorganisms.

[0057] A further subject matter of the invention relates to the use ofmicroorganisms in immobilized form for removal of harmful substances,such as nitrogen compounds and/or phosphate, from bodies of water and/orfrom the air.

[0058] A further subject matter of the present invention is a method forcleaning and/or treating bodies of water and/or soils by using livingbacteria cultures which is characterized in that the vegetativemicroorganisms are present in immobilized form. The method according tothe invention enables in particular removal of harmful inorganic andorganic water ingredients such as nitrogen compounds and phosphate.

[0059] The immobilized microorganisms are stored before their useaccording to the invention preferably in an aerated and optionallycooled container in order to keep the possible activity loss as minimalas possible. In a preferred embodiment, this container is configured asa so-called dispenser from which the immobilisates can be removed in thedesired quantity.

[0060] A further subject matter of the invention is a so-calledkit-of-parts comprising an immobilized microbiological culture asdescribed above as well as a container for receiving, storing and/ordispensing the culture under life-supporting conditions.

[0061] The enclosed FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the biomassproduction for Nitrosomonas sp. as a pure culture in a bioreactor withbiomass return. The culturing process is carried out in reactors withcontinuous flow through with biomass return by means of membranefiltration to final concentrations of 5×10⁸ to 6×10⁹ cells/ml. Culturingin fed-batch systems is also possible.

1. Microbiological culture for triggering microbiological processes inbodies of water, soils, sediments, and/or muds by using livingchemo-lithoautotrophic bacteria, characterized in that the bacteria areimmobilized.
 2. Microbiological culture according to claim 1,characterized in that the bacteria are immobilized in a matrix havingthe form of capsules, gels and/or gel spheres.
 3. Microbiologicalculture according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that thematrix has a particle diameter of 1 μm up to approximately 10,000 μm, inparticular, of 100 to 5,000 μm.
 4. Microbiological culture according toone of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the matrix material isselected from natural and/or synthetic polymers.
 5. Microbiologicalculture according to claim 4, characterized in that the polymers areselected from polymeric polysaccharides such as agar-agar or cellulose,proteins such as gelatin, gum arabic, albumin or fibrinogen, ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, carboxy methyl ethyl cellulose, celluloseacetate, alkali cellulose sulfate, polyanilline, polypyrrole, polyvinylpyrolidone, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl alcohol,polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of polystyrene and maleic acidanhydride, epoxy resins, polyethylene imines, copolymers of styrene andmethyl methacrylate, polystyrene sulfonate, polyacrylate and polymethacrylate, polycarbonate, polyester, silicones, methylcellulose,mixtures of gelatin and water glass, gelatin and polyphosphate,cellulose acetate and phthalate, gelatin and copolymers of maleic acidanhydride and methyl vinyl ether, cellulose acetate butyrate, chitosan,poly dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides, mixtures of poly acrylic acidsand poly diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride as well as any suitablemixtures of the above.
 6. Microbiological culture according to one ofthe claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the matrix has a multi-layerconfiguration.
 7. Microbiological culture according to claim 6,characterized in that the matrix material is selected from gel-formingpolymers, in particular, alginate and/or alginate derivatives, and afurther material, selected from film-forming polymers, in particular,from alkali cellulose sulfate, polyethylene imines, and/or poly dialkyldimethyl ammonium chlorides.
 8. Microbiological starter cultureaccording to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in thatphyllosilicates and tectosilicates, preferably zeolites, are added tothe matrix material.
 9. Microbiological starter culture according to oneof the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the microorganisms areselected from chemo-lithoautotrophic nitrification microorganisms, suchas ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and nitrite-oxidizingmicroorganisms, such as bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas,Nitrosococcus, Nitrosospira, Nitrosovibrio, and Nitrosospira, inparticular, the species Nitrosomonas halophilia, Nitrosomonas eutropha,and Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrosomonas oligotropha, Nitrosomonas ureae,Nitrosomonas aestuarii, Nitrosomonas marina, Nitrosomonas, sp. 3 Nm 51,Nitrosomonas communis, Nitrosomonas nitrosa, Nitrosomonas sp. 1 Nm 33,Nitrosomonas sp. 2 Nm 41, Nitrosomonas cryotolerans, Nitrobacter andNitrospira, in particular, Nitrobacter winogradskyi, heterotrophicnitrification microorganisms such as fungi of the genus Aspergillus,Penicillium, and Cephalosporium, algaes, Arthrobacter sp., Alcaligenesfaecilis, Nocordia sp. heterotrophic denitrification microorganisms suchas Paracoccus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. and any mixture of the above. 10.Microbiological culture according to one of the claims 1 to 9,characterized in that the bacteria are immobilized in the form of cellsuspensions wherein the concentration of the cell suspensions is between5×10⁸ to 6×10⁹ cells/ml.
 11. Microbiological culture according to one ofthe claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a bacteria mixture comprisedof a) ammonia-oxidizing and b) nitrite-oxidizing and optionally c)nitrate-reducing and nitrite-reducing bacteria is used. 12.Microbiological culture according to claim 11, characterized in that thespecies ratio of the cell numbers in the immobilisate of a:b is in therange of 1:10,000 to 1:1, preferably 1:1,000 to 1:10, and that thespecies ratio of b: c is preferably between 1,000:1 to 1:1 andpreferably between 100:1 to 5:1.
 13. Microbiological culture accordingto one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the matrix containsa buffer system selected from acetic acid/acetate, HCO₃ ⁻/CO₃ ²⁻,phosphoric acid/H₂PO₃ ⁻/HPO₃ ²⁻, HSO₄ ⁻/SO₄ ²⁻, citric acid/citrate,lactic acid/lactate, solid CaCO₃.
 14. Use of a microbiological cultureaccording to one of the claims 1 to 13 for removing harmful substancesfrom bodies of water, soils, sediments and/or muds as well as from air.15. Use according to claim 14 for removing inorganic and organiccompounds, in particular, for removing phosphates and inorganic andorganic nitrogen compounds.
 16. Method for cleaning and/or treatingbodies of water and/or soils by using a microbiological cultureaccording to one of the claims 1 to
 13. 17. Kit-of-parts comprising amicrobiological culture according to one of the claims 1 to 13 as wellas a container for receiving and storing the culture underlife-supporting conditions.